RICE STAPLE FOR BJP TOO

By M H Ahssan

Main opposition party, that till recently maintained that economic populism is anti-welfare, is going all out on populist announcements in its manifesto

Jettisoning its reticence to populism, BJP’s manifesto for the ensuing electoral battle will better Congress poll pledge and offer rice at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families across the country. BJP, which till not so long ago maintained that economic populism is anti-welfarism, has decided to go whole hog to make a dent in Congress’ aam admi plank.

The rice offer had paid handsome dividends to BJP in the just-held assembly polls in Chhattisgarh. With women comprising half of the electorate, the party is also likely to have a special package for the girl child. This will include extending the Madhya Pradesh government’s “Ladli Laxmi Yojana’’ to the rest of the country for encouraging girl students to pursue education at least up to the high school level.

The Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh had on April 1, 2007, with much fanfare launched the scheme to sell rice at Rs 3 per kg to all 34 lakh BPL families in the state. By ensuring a corruption-free delivery system, the state government won the hearts of the people. Overwhelmed by the goodwill generated by the programme, BJP, in its manifesto for the assembly election held in 2008, promised to bring down the price of rice to Rs 2 per kg for BPL families, and at Re one per kg for all antyodaya cardholders.

The success of the scheme was seen as one of the factors behind the saffron party’s victory for the second consecutive time in the state. The party, if voted to power in the general election, wants to extend it to rest of the country, even if it meant causing a huge burden on the state exchequer.

The party would also like to replicate the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, being successfully executed by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh, in the other states. If BJP was voted back to power in the state in late 2008, the pro-women welfare schemes unveiled by the chief minister after taking over the reins of the state three years ago, played a big role. The Ladli Laxmi Yojana was one of the prominent success stories, and it so moved the party’s prime ministerial candidate, L K Advani, that he was constrained to eulogise it in his personal blog.

“The principal aim of the scheme is to eliminate dropout rate among girl students and to encourage them to study at least upto the pre-college level. Under the scheme, the state government buys savings certificates of Rs 6,000 each year for five consecutive years for every girl born into a family. The girl gets Rs 2,000 after she completes the 5th standard, another Rs 4,000 after she completes the 8th standard, Rs 7,500 after she completes the 10th standard; Rs 200 per month in her 11th standard; and a lumpsum amount of Rs 1,18,000 after she enters the 12th standard or, alternatively, attains the age of 18,’’ Mr Advani noted in his blog.

“It is my promise that, if elected to form the next government, the NDA will implement the Ladli Laxmi Yojana in every state. It will be our endeavour to make every girl in India a “Lakhpati” by the time she attains maturity and is ready to enter a new phase of her life. As far as the girl child is concerned, her care cannot be the responsibility of her parents alone. It is equally the responsibility of the government,’’ the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate vowed.

The party’s election manifesto, likely to be unveiled in the next few days, is also expected to weave in issues aimed at keeping its core Hindutva constituency in good humour. In keeping with this, BJP is expected to reiterate its principled opposition to religion-based quota being advocated by the Congress-led UPA.

Congress’ stand on terrorism is also expected to come in for a severe rap in the manifesto. The principle ruling party at the Centre, BJP maintains, has skirted the nub of the issue, i.e., cross-border terrorism, and has also remained silent on infiltration from across the Pakistani and Bangladeshi borders.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi led the party’s attack against the Congress on the issue. ``In their manifesto, no importance has been attached to national security issues. Congress is completely silent on how to fight terrorism, how to protect the country from naxalism and how to rid the country of insurgency,’’ he told newspersons in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. “Congress attaches no importance to the country’s security, the security of ordinary citizens. For them, the only thing important is votebank politics,’’ Mr Modi added.

With senior citizens emerging as an important category, the BJP manifesto is likely to outline a series of measures for their welfare, especially as their investments had been hit hard in the current round of economic downturn.

BJP, while backing the NREGS, is expected to suggest measures to plug the loopholes in the scheme’s delivery system, which have exposed the CAG in its audit report.

The party is also expected to censure the Congress-led UPA government’s failure to prevent job cuts. As many as 1.5 crore jobs had been lost in the last five years because of the ``faulty’’ policies pursued by the Centre, and the party is likely to propose a hefty increase in spending on large infrastructure projects so as to be able to create more jobs.

The party has already launched its IT vision, promising to extend the revolution to every nook and corner of the country.

MORE POPULISM
- The following are the likely highlights of BJP’s manifesto:
- Rice/wheat at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families
- To protect domestic industry from cheap imports
- Welfare scheme for girl child on the lines of MP's Ladli Laxmi Yojana
- Reiteration of Hindutva issues
- Opposition to religion-based quota
- Highlighting of cross-border terrorism and infiltration from Bangladesh
- Welfare measures for senior citizens following economic downturn
- Criticism of UPA for ‘inability’ to prevent job cuts
- IT vision, Promise to extend IT revolution to every part of the country

Travel cos eye IPL safari

By Ruchi Khanna

The IPL bandwagon is on its way to South Africa but the Indian spectator is unlikely to undertake the African Safari. Travel companies TOI spoke to said the economic uncertainty has dampened the spirits of die-hard Indian fans. Travel agencies are in the process of formulating special packages. They, however, hope to cash in on the World Twenty20 Championship to be held in England right after the IPL. The reason: Club commitment is no match for national fervour.

India’s loss is certainly South Africa’s gain. According to estimates, inbound tourism and hotel revenues were expected to surge by nearly 15% had the IPL stayed on in India. Many travel companies are reluctant to formulate strategies but some are going ahead because “cricket sells’’.

Kashmira Commissariat, head, outbound division, Kuoni India, talks from experience. “SOTC Sport Abroad was the official travel agent for World Cup in 2007 and the inaugural ICC T20, which India won in 2007. Our packages received a marvellous response. South Africa has been lucky for the Indian team. With packages starting from Rs 60,000 onwards for 3-4 days, we will offer various schemes during the IPL.’’

Abhijeet Patil, CEO, Raja Rani Travels, begs to differ. “Running after cricket in these times is as good as chasing wild geese. We are not giving it a serious thought.’’ A top executive with another travel company, who didn’t want to be named, echoed Patil’s views. “Where is the ‘national spirit’ factor? In these tough times, why would an Indian fan go to watch an IPL match with teams made up of players from different countries. It’s just not worth it,’’ he says.

England may have lost out on hosting the IPL, but fans are looking forward to the ICC World T20 which begins a few days after the IPL ends. Deepak Melwani of Prime Flyers is not offering any deals for the IPL. “Well, I’m going to England and I’m sure more people will come to me for flight tickets as they identify more with India than an IPL team. And it’ll make more sense as we are the defending champs.’’

Melwani is a member of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) and thanks to a partnership between the CCI and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), he’ll get tickets to games at Lord’s. Not everyone’s as lucky but the odds certainly favour an India-Pakistan match to a Mumbai Indians-Kolkata Knight Riders encounter — given that both are being played abroad.

Shaikh Abdulla, manager, revenue generation, Akbar Travels, says he has decided to play the waiting card for the time being. “People are more concerned about the elections, and their children’s exams. If the IPL gains steam, fans will be ready to spend. So, we are looking to formulate a package for the business end of the tournament.’’ That makes sense as the semifinals and final will be better crowd-pullers. “We received a superb response for the T20 World Cup in 2007. The package was around Rs 70,000 for five days. This time the price of the package may be slightly low. Nothing has been finalised as the fixtures aren’t out as yet,’’ he says.

Opinion: Secularists aren’t saints

By M H Ahssan

Congress leaders are understandably the most vociferous in displaying righteous outrage at the unfortunate speech delivered by Varun Gandhi, just as they spare no occasion to castigate Narendra Modi for the Gujarat riots of 2002. However, their words would have more credibility if they expressed comparable shame at the fact that their party led the way in showing that riots and massacres can be used as means to manipulate vote banks. Apart from the infamous massacre of Sikhs in 1984, the 1970s and 1980s witnessed a series of communal riots presided over by the Congress party in places like Meerut, Malliana, Jamshedpur, Kanpur, Bhiwandi, Bhagalpur, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

The arrest of Congress leader Meghsingh Chaudhary at the instance of the Supreme Courtappointed Special Investigative Team for his active participation in the Gulbarga Society massacre in Ahmedabad in 2002 confirms what knowledgeable people in Gujarat have for long alleged — that many Congressmen enthusiastically joined hands with members of the sangh parivar in the anti-Muslim riots of 2002.

Without doubt, serious problems do arise when politicians decide to use select religious symbols and manipulate religious sentiments of people in order to acquire power. However, history is witness to the fact that religion and politics do not make as lethal a mix as do politics and violence.

We would do well to remember that many of the highly venerated political figures of the 20th century have been those who brought the best values of their faith traditions to uplift politics to new moral heights.By contrast,many of those who claimed to be secular and, therefore, treated matters of faith with disdain, caused massive genocides and human suffering.

The US is secular but that has not prevented it from polarising global politics on religious lines. Stalin did not use a religious justification while carrying out his genocide of the Soviet Union’s peasantry. He did so in the garb of a secular cause, namely, “collectivisation of land” and the uprooting of those he called “kulaks”. Nor did he confine his waves of assassinations and purges to those with religious beliefs. He claimed that he killed people in the name of building a secular and socialist republic.

Jinnah was not religious minded. He too merely used certain religious symbols and Islamic slogans to mobilise Muslims against the Hindus as a political force. Jinnah’s aim was secular in so far as he acquired political power for himself. Though claiming to defend the political and economic interests of Muslims of the subcontinent, he left behind many more millions of Muslims in India as a mistrusted minority than could be accommodated within the absurd geographical borders of the new ‘Islamic’ state he created for them.

By contrast, Mahatma Gandhi’s politics and world view were rooted in Hindu Sanatan Dharma. Gandhi chose truth and nonviolence as his guiding principles, not any ideology or “ism”. He drew some of his inspiration from the bhakti-Sufi traditions rather than the ideology of modern-day secularism, as defined by the West. That did not prevent him from being a historic global role model of ethical politics. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan derived strength from his unshakeable faith in Islam. That did not prevent him from becoming Gandhi’s most valued colleague in promoting the cause of communal harmony and freedom from colonial rule. Aung San Suu Kyi and the Dalai Lama make no secret of the fact that they draw inspiration from their Buddhist world view. Martin Luther King drew his strength from Christianity.

It is worth noting that even Marxists and socialists in India have had to deploy the wisdom of men like Kabir, Nanak, Bulleh Shah and Namdev whenever they decide to spread the message of communal harmony as a counter to the divisive agenda of some Hindutvavadis. All these bhakts and Sufis derived their world view from their deep connection with the Divine who they saw manifested in every living being, rather than through secular education. In short, despite the inspiration the leaders discussed above took from their religious ideals, they remain outstanding examples of politics based on compassion and humane values.

Vital ingredient for bird flu drug found in India

By Sakshi Aiyyer

Shikimic Acid Used For Making ‘Tamiflu’ Has Been Discovered In 7 Plants Species Of Western Ghats

Shikimic acid, the most vital ingredient used to make Oseltamivir, (Tamiflu) the only known drug to combat the deadly bird flu, has been found in trees in the Western Ghats.

Scientists from Bangalore have found at least seven plant species that yielded shikimic acid from the Western Ghat forests, known as one of the world’s 10 hottest biodiversity hotspots.

The team from University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, said it scanned through 210 plant species to shortlist “a few promising species whose leaves yielded shikimic acid level higher than 1%”.

Presently, the majority of the acid’s global availability is met by China because it is extracted from the fruits of the Chinese star anise tree, that contains up to 5% of the acid. But the 10-metre tree attains its seed-bearing stage after six years of growth, making it unlikely that the growing market demand of the acid would be met by the single source alone.

The fruits of this tree are traditionally used in China for culinary and medicinal purposes as they contain 2%-7% of shikimic acid, the highest reported estimate from plants.

Interestingly, the trees discovered by Indian scientists have yielded 1%-5.02% of the acid, with a plant species called Araucaria Excelsa yielding almost 5.02% of shikimic acid. The most significant advantages of the newly identified Indian sources is that the estimates are from leaves and not fruits as is the case with star anise.

Reporting their finding in the latest issue of the medical journal ‘Current Science’, the scientists said a total of 193 angiosperms (flowering plants) belonging to 59 families and 17 gymnosperms (plants in which the seeds are not enclosed in an ovary) belonging to five families were collected for the study. “Only 7 of the 193 angiosperm species yielded shikimic acid in excess of 1% while the rest yielded no or low shikimic acid. The most promising species were Calophyllum Apetalum (4.10% shikimic acid). All the 17 gymnosperms had detectable levels of shikimic acid with six species accumulating greater than 1%. Among these, Araucaria Excelsa yielding almost 5.02% of shikimic acid,” the scientists said.

They said that since so much of the acid is being used for industrial and pharmaceutical uses, it is imperative that newer sources of this chemical are identified. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of the requirement of shikimic acid is being sourced from plants while the remaining one-third is obtained from genetically engineered E Coli.

The team added, “The leads presented here appear more promising than most others. In few of these species, the estimates are comparable to those reported from star anise. Because the estimates are from leaves, the sheer volume of the biomass offered by the leaves would render it economically feasible.

This finding of the new source of shikimic acid can potentially be used to meet the emerging needs of both the domestic and international markets.”

Union health ministry sources said, “Getting the raw material to make Tamiflu in India has been our biggest hurdle. At present, it is found only in China and Germany.” Tamiflu, the drug which blocks the replication of the flu virus, is presently being stockpiled by most countries as a precautionary measure in case of an outbreak of the bird flu among humans.

The price of shikimic acid has, therefore, skyrocketed. Pharma companies in India say the acid, which used to cost $40 a kg earlier, now costs around $1,000 per kg.

Vital ingredient for bird flu drug found in India

By Sakshi Aiyyer

Shikimic Acid Used For Making ‘Tamiflu’ Has Been Discovered In 7 Plants Species Of Western Ghats

Shikimic acid, the most vital ingredient used to make Oseltamivir, (Tamiflu) the only known drug to combat the deadly bird flu, has been found in trees in the Western Ghats.

Scientists from Bangalore have found at least seven plant species that yielded shikimic acid from the Western Ghat forests, known as one of the world’s 10 hottest biodiversity hotspots.

The team from University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, said it scanned through 210 plant species to shortlist “a few promising species whose leaves yielded shikimic acid level higher than 1%”.

Presently, the majority of the acid’s global availability is met by China because it is extracted from the fruits of the Chinese star anise tree, that contains up to 5% of the acid. But the 10-metre tree attains its seed-bearing stage after six years of growth, making it unlikely that the growing market demand of the acid would be met by the single source alone.

The fruits of this tree are traditionally used in China for culinary and medicinal purposes as they contain 2%-7% of shikimic acid, the highest reported estimate from plants.

Interestingly, the trees discovered by Indian scientists have yielded 1%-5.02% of the acid, with a plant species called Araucaria Excelsa yielding almost 5.02% of shikimic acid. The most significant advantages of the newly identified Indian sources is that the estimates are from leaves and not fruits as is the case with star anise.

Reporting their finding in the latest issue of the medical journal ‘Current Science’, the scientists said a total of 193 angiosperms (flowering plants) belonging to 59 families and 17 gymnosperms (plants in which the seeds are not enclosed in an ovary) belonging to five families were collected for the study. “Only 7 of the 193 angiosperm species yielded shikimic acid in excess of 1% while the rest yielded no or low shikimic acid. The most promising species were Calophyllum Apetalum (4.10% shikimic acid). All the 17 gymnosperms had detectable levels of shikimic acid with six species accumulating greater than 1%. Among these, Araucaria Excelsa yielding almost 5.02% of shikimic acid,” the scientists said.

They said that since so much of the acid is being used for industrial and pharmaceutical uses, it is imperative that newer sources of this chemical are identified. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of the requirement of shikimic acid is being sourced from plants while the remaining one-third is obtained from genetically engineered E Coli.

The team added, “The leads presented here appear more promising than most others. In few of these species, the estimates are comparable to those reported from star anise. Because the estimates are from leaves, the sheer volume of the biomass offered by the leaves would render it economically feasible.

This finding of the new source of shikimic acid can potentially be used to meet the emerging needs of both the domestic and international markets.”

Union health ministry sources said, “Getting the raw material to make Tamiflu in India has been our biggest hurdle. At present, it is found only in China and Germany.” Tamiflu, the drug which blocks the replication of the flu virus, is presently being stockpiled by most countries as a precautionary measure in case of an outbreak of the bird flu among humans.

The price of shikimic acid has, therefore, skyrocketed. Pharma companies in India say the acid, which used to cost $40 a kg earlier, now costs around $1,000 per kg.

India Votes: Behind every leader...

By Vrushali Menon

.....Is A Woman Who Is Quietly Steering The Course of Poll Strategy

They play a powerful and key role in charting the future course of political parties in the state — but entirely from behind the scenes. In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, four women have emerged crucial power brokers, quietly guiding alliance talks and giving that vital nudge that could help make political history in Tamil Nadu.

Chief minister M Karunanidhi’s wife, Rajathi Ammal, was part of the hectic negotiations to try and rope in a difficult PMK. The much-in-demand actor Vijayakanth played his cards close to his chest, but was guided by wife Premalatha, whose influence was evident in one of the key demands of the party — the high profile Coimbatore seat for the DMDK’s silent steerer. Settled in Delhi after her husband succeeded in getting the hefty health portfolio, Sowmya Anbumani is now used to rubbing shoulders with the powersthat-be in the capital. So, the PMK’s wish-list to the Congress included two Rajya Sabha seats — one for Anbumani Ramadoss and the other for Sowmya.

Last, but not the least in terms of the clout she wields, is Sasikala Natarajan. While the ‘chinna amma’ (junior amma) left it to AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa to cobble together what could prove to be a winning combination in the state, she will be an active participant in dishing out constituencies. Besides wielding strong influence in the Poes Garden household, Sasikala is the back-seat driver when it comes to handling party affairs. This time too the AIADMK’s list of candidates will be a line-up of her own loyalists and foot soldiers.

In the thick of alliance negotiations, when DMK and AIADMK were making a pitch to lure reluctant allies, Rajathi Ammal had, with her husband’s approval, opened her own communication channel from her plush CIT colony residence to pull the PMK back into the DMKCongress combine.

“Amma was negotiating with doctor aiyya (PMK leader S Ramadoss) through a industrialist friend. Things were going smoothly until a section in the party bungled it,” said a close family friend. It’s a different matter that PMK might have flown the coop and taken shelter in a rival camp, but Rajathi Ammal has proved that her capabilities extend beyond that of a trouble-shooter for senior party leaders.

In PMK, Sowmya Anbumani is the driving force behind ‘Pasumai Thayagam’ (Green Motherland), an environment organisation backed by the party. But her ambitions now stretch beyond merely ushering in the green revolution. “If a Rajya Sabha seat is difficult then Sowmya is likely to get a LS ticket so that she could be a part of the power dispensation at the centre,” said a well-wisher.

There are few decisions that actor Vijayakanth takes without consulting his wife, Premalatha. Self-effacing but confident, Premalatha has ensured that every crucial decision regarding DMDK is taken only after consultations with her and her brother, LK Sudheesh, the party’s youth wing secretary. Even in the pre-Independence era, the Dravidian movement has seen far-sighted, progressive leaders like Periyar espousing the women’s cause and demanding equal rights for them. But today, it is a different kind of power that women behind high-profile political leaders in Tamil Nadu are wielding.

Cheap rice stirs poll pot in India

By M H Ahssan

Do promises of hugely subsidised rice for the poor prove a gamechanger in elections? This a question that stares us in the face as parties queue up to shower rice on the voter. This is certainly not the first time promises of cheap grain have been made, but the idea seems to have gained currency much more than in the past.

So why is the idea suddenly so hot, even though it was first offered 42 years ago? In 1967, DMK pledged it would give in Tamil Nadu three measures of rice for one rupee. That was the first time it swept to power in the state. Ironically, the promise was not quite fulfilled.

NTR Rama Rao took a leaf out of Tamil Nadu in 1983 when he borrowed Anna’s winning formula and offered rice at Rs 2 per kg. His newly formed TDP ended up winning more than two-thirds of the seats in the assembly, a stunning achievement considering that the party was so new that its MLAs were officially characterized as “independents’’ — possibly the only occasion when independents have won a majority in an election.

That too was 26 years ago. But suddenly last year, it was the Big Idea for politicians. In 2008, as many as six states saw parties promising, or governments giving, subsidised grain to the poor. The year began with the Chhattisgarh government introducing a scheme of 35 kg of rice at Rs 3 per kg for families below the poverty line (BPL). In April, the Madhya Pradesh government followed suit, announcing 20 kg of wheat at Rs 3 per kg or 20 kg of rice at Rs 4.5 per kg for poor.

In the same month, the Andhra Pradesh government launched the Rs 2 a kilo rice scheme for BPL families and in neighbouring Karnataka the BJP made a similar promise a key plank in its elec tion manifesto. In August, Naveen Pat naik in Orissa also declared that the state would provide 25 kg of rice at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families and also to those above the poverty line in the districts of Kala handi, Bolangir and Koraput.

In September last, M Karunanidhi chose the occasion of C Annadurai ‘ birth anniversary to announce that all ration card holders would be given rice at Re 1 per kg, TN having already intro duced a 2-rupee scheme in 2006 in fulfill ing an election promise made by DMK.

Look at the electoral dividends and you’ll realise why the idea is so hot Karunanidhi in TN, Shivraj Chauhan in MP, Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh and Yediyurappa in Karnataka all won elec tions following the promise or delivery of cheap grain. Patnaik had the satis faction of a stupendous show in the local body elections that followed, while YS Ra jasekhara Reddy is yet to find out whether cheap rice will do the trick for him.

History also suggests that every time one party promises something like this the opponents follow suit, but the first one to make the promise seems to have a first-mover advantage. The UPA will be hoping that is indeed the case and that its implementation of the rural employ ment guarantee scheme will give its lat est promise added credibility. The NDA on the other hand, will hope that match ing or bettering the promise will level the playing field.

SC panel slams rice politics
The poll-eve race among political parties to promise food grains at cheap rates to the poor, when implemented, is counter-productive, warns the Justice D P Wadhwa Committee in its report submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Set up by the Supreme Court in 2006 for a reality check on the health of the working of the public distribution system (PDS), the report said: “PDS system is inefficient and corrupt. There is an unholy nexus between the transporters, fair price (FP) shop owners and officials of the department of food and civil supply.”

Cheap rice stirs poll pot in India

By M H Ahssan

Do promises of hugely subsidised rice for the poor prove a gamechanger in elections? This a question that stares us in the face as parties queue up to shower rice on the voter. This is certainly not the first time promises of cheap grain have been made, but the idea seems to have gained currency much more than in the past.

So why is the idea suddenly so hot, even though it was first offered 42 years ago? In 1967, DMK pledged it would give in Tamil Nadu three measures of rice for one rupee. That was the first time it swept to power in the state. Ironically, the promise was not quite fulfilled.

NTR Rama Rao took a leaf out of Tamil Nadu in 1983 when he borrowed Anna’s winning formula and offered rice at Rs 2 per kg. His newly formed TDP ended up winning more than two-thirds of the seats in the assembly, a stunning achievement considering that the party was so new that its MLAs were officially characterized as “independents’’ — possibly the only occasion when independents have won a majority in an election.

That too was 26 years ago. But suddenly last year, it was the Big Idea for politicians. In 2008, as many as six states saw parties promising, or governments giving, subsidised grain to the poor. The year began with the Chhattisgarh government introducing a scheme of 35 kg of rice at Rs 3 per kg for families below the poverty line (BPL). In April, the Madhya Pradesh government followed suit, announcing 20 kg of wheat at Rs 3 per kg or 20 kg of rice at Rs 4.5 per kg for poor.

In the same month, the Andhra Pradesh government launched the Rs 2 a kilo rice scheme for BPL families and in neighbouring Karnataka the BJP made a similar promise a key plank in its elec tion manifesto. In August, Naveen Pat naik in Orissa also declared that the state would provide 25 kg of rice at Rs 2 per kg to BPL families and also to those above the poverty line in the districts of Kala handi, Bolangir and Koraput.

In September last, M Karunanidhi chose the occasion of C Annadurai ‘ birth anniversary to announce that all ration card holders would be given rice at Re 1 per kg, TN having already intro duced a 2-rupee scheme in 2006 in fulfill ing an election promise made by DMK.

Look at the electoral dividends and you’ll realise why the idea is so hot Karunanidhi in TN, Shivraj Chauhan in MP, Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh and Yediyurappa in Karnataka all won elec tions following the promise or delivery of cheap grain. Patnaik had the satis faction of a stupendous show in the local body elections that followed, while YS Ra jasekhara Reddy is yet to find out whether cheap rice will do the trick for him.

History also suggests that every time one party promises something like this the opponents follow suit, but the first one to make the promise seems to have a first-mover advantage. The UPA will be hoping that is indeed the case and that its implementation of the rural employ ment guarantee scheme will give its lat est promise added credibility. The NDA on the other hand, will hope that match ing or bettering the promise will level the playing field.

SC panel slams rice politics
The poll-eve race among political parties to promise food grains at cheap rates to the poor, when implemented, is counter-productive, warns the Justice D P Wadhwa Committee in its report submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Set up by the Supreme Court in 2006 for a reality check on the health of the working of the public distribution system (PDS), the report said: “PDS system is inefficient and corrupt. There is an unholy nexus between the transporters, fair price (FP) shop owners and officials of the department of food and civil supply.”